1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for folding paper documents and, more particularly, to an apparatus for folding paper documents which can achieve different types of folds including folding around inserts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the electronic publishing field, multi-page documents such as insurance policies and contracts are printed on high-speed laser printers and then finished on an electronic publishing system which assembles the document, adds any desired inserts (such as prefolded advertising brochures or other solicitations) to the document to create a product, folds the product in a desired known configuration (C-fold, Z-fold or half fold) and then inserts the product into a standard envelope to create a package ready for mailing. These steps are done at high speed while the accuracy of the document assembly is verified through use of a printed bar code on each sheet of the document.
One prior art device for folding the product is known as a cassette folder. In the typical cassette folder, the product is transported to the folder with its inserts at the leading edge of the document. The product is stopped, clamped and flipped to create a fold. To create a second fold as would be necessary for C-folding or Z-folding, the product is transported to a second station where it is stopped, clamped and flipped to create the desired second fold. The cassette folder operates comparatively slowly as the stopping and clamping of the product is time consuming.
Another "prior art" folding apparatus utilizes a tucker plate for creating the fold in the product. The product is transported to the folder with its insert on the leading or trailing edge. The product is stopped and the tucker plate engages the product at a ninety degree (90.degree.) angle to create the fold. The direction of movement of the product is change ninety degrees (90.degree.) from the original transport direction. Such tucker plate folding apparatus is also relatively slow in processing products because of the need to stop the products and change their direction of movement.
In yet another prior art folding apparatus, the document (without an insert) is driven into a buckle plate where the leading edge engages an abutment stop. The trailing edge of the document continues to be driven until the document is caught at the desired fold location between the nip of a pair of driven rollers. The driven rollers pull the document through the nip creating the fold. If desired, the document can be sent through another buckle plate arrangement to create additional folds. Buckle plate folding apparatus operate at higher speed than the previously mentioned cassette and tucker plate folding apparatus but are unable to fold documents around inserts.
The present invention is designed to overcome the above limitations that are attendant upon the use of "prior art" devices, and toward this end, it contemplates the provision of a novel apparatus for creating folds in a product, which utilizes a moveable diverting device for directing the product into a standard buckle plate.
It is an object of the present invention to utilize buckle plates to fold a document around an insert.
It is also an object to provide such an apparatus which can be easily converted to accomplish C-folding, Z-folding or half folding.
Still another object is to provide such an apparatus which can accommodate products of various thicknesses.
Yet another object is to provide an apparatus which accomplishes the desired folding formats at high speeds.
A further object is to provide an apparatus that is compatible with conventional electronic publishing systems and is generally compatible in physical size, form and configuration with "prior art" devices, to be readily adaptable for the same use without disadvantage.
It is a general aim of the invention to provide such an apparatus which may be readily and economically fabricated and will have long life in operation and significantly greater flexibility in use.